Retain the memory of the city and awaken the beautiful nostalgia

【Footprints of Struggle】

Narrator: Jiang Weihui, a second-level researcher of the Housing and Construction Bureau of Liwan District, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province

Counting up, I have been "dealing" with Yongqingfang for more than 10 years, and in the past I said "I didn't know Guangzhou, I first smelled Xiguan". Xiguan Yongqingfang is located in the southwest of Guangzhou, located in the core area of the old town of Guangzhou, historically the most prosperous core urban area in Guangzhou, with the most complete preservation of Guangzhou Qilou Street, distributed with many celebrities former residences and historical buildings with Lingnan characteristics, deep historical and cultural accumulation, gathering a number of Cantonese opera music, martial arts medicine, Xiguan copper and other intangible cultural heritage.

In the 1990s, as the city center moved eastward, neighborhoods deteriorated, buildings fell into disrepair, dilapidated houses were densely packed, and public facilities were missing and aging. The former model of transformation of the old city has also caused great damage to the historical style and urban texture of the old city. The transformation of Yongqingfang is not only an urban renewal, but also a need for people's livelihood.

Happily, over the years, the government has actively changed its thinking, and the awareness of the whole society to protect history and culture has also been continuously improved. On the premise of protecting history and culture, we have carried out a reduction plan for the transformation of the old city. In the process of renovation of Yongqingfang, Guangzhou did not engage in large-scale demolition and construction, and adopted the way of repairing the old as old to restore and revitalize the old buildings; protect the original block texture and traditional style, restore the covered river, and the urban planning road did not engage in "opening the stomach".

When it comes to the transformation process of Yongqingfang, Lingnan culture is an unavoidable main line, which connects the glorious past and vibrant future here.

In the micro-transformation of Yongqingfang, we strive to continue the historical style and inject new vitality into the old neighborhood through the renewal of the historical and cultural block and the revitalization and utilization of historical buildings. We not only renew the material form space such as buildings, streets and alleys, but also on the basis of retaining some indigenous people, we will relieve the population, improve the overly dense living environment, let the living history continue in the original neighborhood, so as to retain the memory of the city and awaken the beautiful nostalgia.

In view of the different characteristics of the existing retained space in the historical and cultural district, we have made "embroidery" efforts to carry out refined design and differentiate treatment. In order to strengthen the protection and revitalization of historical buildings, we also carry out functional replacement, introduce cultural and creative, homestay, research and development and other industries that are in harmony with the atmosphere of the neighborhood and are suitable for small spaces in historical buildings, and realize the renewal and revitalization of "old bottles and new wine".

The Yongqingfang Intangible Cultural Heritage Block, which opened in 2020, has attracted 10 non-genetic inheritors at the national, provincial and municipal levels to be stationed, and is the first intangible cultural heritage block in Guangzhou that integrates functions such as exhibition, performance, teaching and experience. The Cantonese Opera Art Museum, which is full of new Lingnan garden style, focuses on the traditional architecture of Lingnan folk architecture as well as Cantonese opera and Cantonese opera art. These renovations skillfully integrate the historical and cultural heritage in the form of material form with intangible cultural heritage, help the inheritance of civilization and cultural continuation, and revitalize the "old city".

Today, the second phase of the renovation project of Yongqingfang is nearing completion and is gradually opening up to the outside world. Looking back on more than 10 years of work, whenever I walk in Yongqingfang, which has both beautiful appearance and cultural connotation, watching it become lively day by day, there is indescribable joy and pride in my heart. In the future, I will continue to shoulder my responsibilities and missions, and make more efforts to preserve the memory of Guangzhou, a city immersed in culture, and to remember the nostalgia of the people who live here.

(Guangming Daily reporters Wang Zhongyao and Wu Chunyan interviewed and sorted out)

Guangming Daily ( 2021-04-02 07 edition)

Source: Guangming Network - Guangming Daily